I once wrote a column entitled “Where are our heroes when we need them”. I pointed out the difference between celebrity and real heroism. Today we need to look no farther than our own communities. The nurses, doctors, and first responders are heroes in this mess. Where would we be without them? While we are complaining about being sheltered in our own comfortable homes, nurses and doctors are on the front lines of this virus working and putting their own health at risk. They are working unbelievable hours and making do with dwindling supplies. Many are getting sick themselves. Also retired health professional are answering the call. I don’t believe we will ever take these dedicated people for granted again.

Another group of heroes are our truck drivers. Where we would be without them? If they don’t drive, we don’t eat. We go to the store and buy our groceries never thinking about how they got there. I can imagine what unbelievable schedules they have now because so many people are hoarding supplies. They make sure we have food, but I understand many of them have a hard time finding something to eat on the road.

There are many Americans I consider heroes because they see a need and fill it. A perfect example is my cousin Frances who lives in Victoria. Frances is one of the kindest people I have ever known. She and her husband Mike are always there when people need help. Being an excellent seamstress, she decided to make masks and give them to local hospitals and doctor’s offices. She consulted medical professionals to learn exactly how they should be made. She refuses to take credit or praise because she says she got the idea from Facebook, and many others are helping in this way. Frances does nothing in a small way. She recruited her daughters and the rest of the family. They have 3 sewing machine going and an assembly line where each person has certain job. Yesterday I believe they turned out about 50.Today they were trying to get 70 and there is no charge. Frances is part of an amazing caring family who always thinks of others and helps when help is needed.

I read about a trucker who pulled into a truck stop and saw a couple of children in the back of a pick-up truck. Concerned for them, he walked over to see what was happening. They handed him a brown paper bag with thank you written on the outside and food on the inside. Their father was near, so they were in no danger. What a lesson for them to be a part of helping others. Their father was not just telling them about service to others but showing them. There are many other stories like that of people setting up tables by the roadside and feeding truckers.

Heroes aren’t always on the 6 o’clock news. They are ordinary people who do extraordinary things in the service of others. I am proud to be an American because I know we will rise to the occasion when we are needed. There are so many stories of people helping people. I have encouraged others to write about what we are experiencing now. Future generations need to know what their families experienced during this pandemic. Someday they will read about it in the history books, but family journals will let them know firsthand what their families experienced.

We must not let the circumstances of the present make us cynical about the future. This will be over someday and the courage and fortitude of the American people will prevail.